You're not alone in this
by Turtlefan141
Summary: "You're not alone in this McGee." She told him, resting her head on her shoulder. "We'll all help you through this." "I know." He told Abby. "Doesn't make it any easier though." ONSHOT


_When I'm kept upat 1:24 am(British time), and am watching selected NCIS episodes on my phone, this oneshot will happen._

_Also it kinda helps me get my mind off the fact that THIS STUPID WRITERS BLOCK FOR SLIGHT MISCALCULATION WON'T GO AWAY!_

_*Smooths down clothes and clears throat*_

_Now that that's sorted._

_**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, nor any of the characters. I do own the plot, and the unfortunate case of insomnia that created this story.**_

_**Warning: Mild McAbby and Tiva.**_

_P.S. In this story Ziva is still there. In my mind she will always be there, no one can replace the great David._

* * *

_When someone has cancer, the whole family, and everyone that loves them, does too. Terri Clarke_

* * *

The bugle played softly in the air, the tune carrying on through the audience. He stood there, next to Sarah, starring at the coffin. Handmade by Gibbs, at the elder's request, it was made of a rich oak that had been sanded, re-sanded and then varnished to the point where it could be sold in a shop. McGee had told his boss that it wasn't necessary, but Gibbs told otherwise.

'Nothing too good for the Admiral John McGee.' He had told his youngest member.

Nothing to good indeed.

Sarah collapsed into the arms of a waiting Ziva, who comforted her as she wept. Tim stayed still, holding onto the folded flag.

He needed a few moments with his thoughts.

**_~You're not alone in this~_**

_"Here he is!" Tony called upon seeing McGee exit the elevator. " 'Bout time McTardy!"_

_"Sorry guys, my car cut out so I had to call for a cab." Tim apologised._

_"McGee, why didn't you call one of us?" Ziva questioned. "I could have picked you up."_

_"I did call you guys. Your cell was off and Tony hung up on me."_

_Ziva turned and glared at Tony, who shrugged his shoulders in reply, a small smirk plastered on the face._

_"Smirk all you want Tony, but that means that you'll had to buylunch today. I can't even afford a candy bar after that cab driver ripped me off." McGee stated._

_"It's Washington McGee, everyone is ripping you off." Gibbs told them as he walked up to his desk. "Gear up, dead sailor outside a shop."_

_"Maybe he saw the prices." Tony laughed before stopping as Gibbs smacked up upside the head on his way to the elevator._

_"Special Agent McGee." Tim turned around to find Vance stood at the end of the row. "Do you have a minute?"_

_"Well we just got a call about a dead sailor." Tim replied._

_"This is very important." Vance stated._

_"Hey McGeek! You coming?" Tony yelled from the elevator._

_Tim frowned slightly. "You go on." He called, still looking at Vance. "I'll catch up."_

_"Whatever you say!" A ding from the elevator, and the rest of the team was gone._

_"So what was it Director?"_

_Leon seemed almost reluctant to tell Timothy the truth, hesitating for a few seconds._

_"Director Vance?"_

_"Tim." Leon started with a sigh. "It's your father." Tim went pale, but Vance went on. "He's been taken into hospital. He's on life support."_

_McGee stayed still for a few moments. He father, his strong, unbreakable father-on the brink of death._

_"My sister?" He whispered._

_"They didn't have her number, only yours. I was going to call her myself." Leon informed him._

_"No need." Tim replied quietly. "I'll tell her. Sir-"_

_"No need to ask Tim. Take as much time as you need."_

_"Thank you Vance."_

**_~You're not alone in this~_**

_After that it had all happened so quickly. He had packed his stuff and immediately left for Sarah's university. After telling her the news and comforting her, they had both gone straight to the hospital. Their father had been in and out of ICU the the past couple weeks, the siblings knew that it would happen soon-but nothing prepared them for what they saw. Their father lay in the hospital bed, wire after wire flowing out of his body, each connecting into a machine or device of some kind. The admiral was ghostly white, frail-not the man that Timothy and Sarah had grown up knowing._

_"I'll give you a minute to say your goodbyes." The doctor had told them before promptly leaving the room._

_Sarah turned and sobbed quietly into her brother's shoulder. "Can he even hear us Timmy?"_

_"From a scientific point of view, I'm sure he can. From a son's," He lifted Sarah's chin so that she was looking into his eyes. "I'm certain."_

_Sarah nodded and made her way up to the bed. "Daddy? I hope you can hear me. If you can, then...I'm proud of you. You're an admiral. A navy admiral. You've been through everything, from a divorce to a murder accusation-but then again, in this family, who hasn't?" Tim laughed. "You lead a good life Daddy, despite how short it was cut. Goodbye, love you." A few stray tears fell down her cheeks._

_Tim walked forward and pulled Sarah into a one armed hug. He kissed her on her forehead. "That was beautiful Sarah."_

_"You gonna say something?" She questioned before sniffling once._

_Tim sighed and nodded slightly. Still hugging his little sister, he looked to his father._

_"Dad." He started. "I wish I could talk of our great times together, but I wish not for our last moments to be built up on lies. After Mom passed away...I guess everything just went south. Then afterwards, I spent seven years ignoring you, wishing away those years. What a waste that was. It was only when you told Gibbs in the interrogation room about...this, that I realised that. I have had some great times with you recently recently, but it doesn't make up for what I've done. I'm gonna miss you dad. I'm sorry."_

_His grip around Sarah tightened ever so slightly. She turned and bean to once again weep, Timothy himself now letting the few tears fall. The doctor returned a few minutes later. With a nod from both siblings, he turned off the life support, and both_ _Tim and Sarah watched as the last few heartbeats were recorded on the monitor, before the flatline silenced the room._

**_~You're not alone in this~_**

McGee bowed his head, two stray tears escaping from his brown eyes. He looked over his shoulder as he was hugged from behind by Abby.

"You're not alone in this McGee." She told him, resting her head on her shoulder. "We'll all help you through this."

McGee looked over to Tony, who was comforting Ziva, Sarah having gone to talk to one of the marines.

"I know." He told Abby. "Doesn't make it any easier though."

Abby smiled sadly and kissed McGee on the cheek. He withdrew from her hug and pulled out a tape recorder from her bag. "May I?"

Sarah walked over, tears tracks fresh on her cheeks, Tim pulling her into a hug. "Of corse Abby."

Abby smiled and pressed play on on the recorder, and everyone smiled as the jazz music played.

McGee looked over to the coffin once more. His father's final words to him echoed in his mind. He smiled slightly.

"I will Dad."

**_~You're not alone in this~_**

The rest of the team all returned to work the next morning, all still slightly shaken, but ready to gear up once the order was made.

He walked in, ignoring the looks of surprise from other teams. No one had expected him in so soon, but he had always been taught never to linger a subject for too long. His father had once told him that if you hesitate on shooting an enemy for even a second, it would be your body returning in a coffin.

The irony was not lost on McGee.

"McGee!" Tony called, standing up from behind his desk. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought the director gave you the week off." Ziva questioned.

"He did." Tim replied. "I denied it."

"Why?" They replied simultaneously.

"Because everyone deals with loss in a different way. I with to be around those who I have left."

"Sarah-"

"Sarah is with Penny. I'm staying around her's until she feels that she is alright." McGee took off his jacket, placing it on the back of his chair. Tony and Ziva both caught sight of the black armband around his right arm. They both smiled at their friend.

"Gear up." Gibbs called as he walked up the row of desks. "Dead man on a Navy vessel."

Tony and Ziva immediately departed for the elevator, grabbing their bags on the way. Gibbs stared at his agent, nobility the armband.

"You sure?" He asked him.

"Certain." McGee replied.

Gibbs smiled. "Then move it McGee."

McGee grabbed his backpack and joined his friends in the elevator.

_Make some friends son, friends that you'll have for the rest of your life-and for god's sake meet a girl._

McGee smiled.

* * *

_When I wrote this, I was immediately reminded of when my mother had her brain haemorrhage about two years ago, when I was 11. Luckily she survived, but I always remember that my last encounter with her before it happened, was me feeling annoyed at her. If se had died then, I never would have or given myself. McGee is the same. He regrets having wasted his last yeas with his father._

_Life is short people-don't waste it._


End file.
